[25
JAN 01] SPON END BUILDING PRESERVATION TRUST NEWS
Emergency Repairs Start At Medieval Building
 Emergency
repairs are being carried out at one of Coventry's oldest buildings as
work to bring it back to life gets under way.
Scaffolding
was being erected to shroud Black Swan Terrace, which is also known as
Moira's Wet Fish Shop in Upper Spon Street, Spon End has been an
eyesore for more than ten years.
A
deal was signed in November between the City Council and the Spon End
Building Preservation Trust to restore the building, which dates back
to 1450 and has been on the English Heritage 'Buildings at Risk
Register' for most of the last ten years,
BLACK SWAN TERRACE
BEFORE THE SCAFFOLDING WENT UP AND (ABOVE) AS IT LOOKED IN 1912
The
building is being covered with weatherproof material to stop the
medieval timber frame deteriorating.
The
trust, which has leased the building form the city council, will then
start work on converting it into a community facility.
The
buildings were originally compulsorily purchased by the council for
demolition as part of a clearance scheme in the area more than 20
years ago
But
behind the brick frontage was discovered one of the oldest timber
frame buildings in the city.
Plans
to move the buildings to the section of Spon Street within the ring
road were blocked by the formation of the Building Preservation Trust
in 1994, which campaigned to for restoration work to be carried out.
The
scheme is funded by Coventry City Council, English Heritage and the
European Regional Development Fund.
The
Trust has also launched a website for those interested in the project
at http://www.sponend.org.uk/history.htm SEE
[30 NOV 00] MOIRA'S WET
FISH TO BE FRESHENED UP
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